The Fair Lady and Her Prince
by storyteller-lynnie
Summary: Princess Lily of Ravenclaw and Prince James of Gryffindor are betrothed against their wills, and when they first meet, it's hate at first sight. But when trouble rears its ugly head, Lily and James must mend their differences to save their kingdoms. -AU!-
1. Princess Lily Tells Her Tale

**Disclaimer: **As I am a middle-class brunette Filipina instead of a filthy-stinking-rich blonde Brit, I can hardly pass myself off as the owner of Harry Potter, can I?

**AN (04/08/08):** This is a re-write of the first chapter, Princess Lily Tells Her Tale. I didn't really like how the first version went; it didn't seem up to my usual standards. Like I said earlier, this chapter is a re-write. You might want to read it, because a _lot_ of things have been changed.

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**Chapter One: Princess Lily Tells Her Tale**

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Silently, I contemplated the various hairpins and ornamented combs on my dresser. Perhaps I could gouge my eyes out. No, too messy. A quick thrust to the heart, maybe? Mm, no. Too slow.

Betrothals. I think—no, I _know_ that's where all this started. Randomly pick out some society chit and pair her up with a young, foppish nobleman and hope they get along. It's _ridiculous._

And such an arrangement is how I met His Royal Highness James Potter, Prince of Gryffindor.

But before I continue my story, let me introduce myself. My name is Lily Susan Katherine Evans. Hardly anyone ever uses all the names though (unless I'm being formally announced or in a whole lot of trouble with Mother). Mostly, people just call me Lily.

I was born a year after my older sister Petunia (or, if you like to get into specifics, Petunia Annabel Margaret Evans), to Jacob Evans II, King of Ravenclaw, and his wife, Susan Greer-Evans, Queen of Ravenclaw. As was tradition in the royal Evans family, female children were given the names of flowers. My late grandfather's late sister was named Jasmine, and my own father's sister was named Rose. Sadly for Petunia and I, giving female children two middle names was a tradition of the Greer family, my mother's people. As it was, Queen Susan's full name was Susan Annabel Ophelia Greer-Evans. Quite a mouthful, eh?

Even during the early days of our childhood, it quickly became apparent that Petunia and I were as different as different could be. I inherited Mother's dark red hair and her startlingly almond-shaped green eyes, her perfectly-shaped oval face and delicately-formed figure. Petunia had also received Mother's slender face and frame, but she had Father's pale blue eyes, aristocratic nose, and broad forehead, which gave the impression of a portrait cramped up in a too-small frame. Well, a peach and a mushroom both have lovely tastes, but you certainly can't put the two together—and that is the cruel trick Mother Nature played on my sister.

Physical appearance wasn't the only aspect Petunia and I differed in. When Petunia was four and I three, our formal education began. We received tutoring in literature, language, needlework, dancing, etiquette, mathematics, geography, art, and music. I took to my studies like a bird takes to flight, the exception being needlework. Petunia, on the other hand, was an average student at best. However, she excelled at needlework, whereas I was absolutely dismal in this field.

When Petunia was ten, Mother chose for her a respectable companion. Ten-year-old Lady Valerie Morgan, the daughter of the Earl of Pennhollow, became Petunia's lady-in-waiting.

Lady Valerie was very pretty. She had long blonde curls and baby-blue eyes framed with long lashes, and a smooth peaches-and-cream complexion. She was also a smart and talented girl, and Mother thought Lady Valerie's aptitude would rub off on Petunia.

Well, I can safely say that nothing of the sort happened. Instead, Petunia grew to idolize Lady Valerie, although the girl was a year younger than she. As young as she was, Valerie was a spiteful girl, jealous of Petunia's status as a princess, and began to feed my poor sister with lies that crippled her already low self-esteem.

"It's Lily's fault, don't you see?" one of the maids told me she had heard Valerie whispering to Petunia. "Have a look at the girl. Look at how lovely she is, and how brilliant and gifted. She far outshines you, and so everyone keeps comparing you to Lily. 'How pretty the younger one is, but the older one is so very ugly and dull,' they say."

It came as no surprise to me when Petunia began to show signs of resentment. I constantly tried to repair our relationship, but always Valerie was there, ready to hiss more lies into Petunia's ear.

And so began a year of torment from my sister and her lady-in-waiting. They constantly played cruel tricks on me, not even bothering to conceal from me the fact that they were the culprits. Foolish child that I was, I never told Mother or Father anything, thinking that, perhaps, if I kept my peace, Petunia might befriend me again.

When I turned ten, Mother found for me my own lady-in-waiting. She decided on the young Lady Cassandra Meadowes, the daughter of the Duke of Silverholt. Cassandra's father, Lord Edward Meadowes, was probably the wealthiest and most powerful man in the kingdom, second only to my father, of course. Mother couldn't have chosen better, for with Cassandra as my lady-in-waiting, the friendship between the two most prominent men in Ravenclaw was cemented.

Cassandra made for a lovely lady-in-waiting. She was only ten years old, but already she had a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. She was beautiful, not quite as beautiful as Valerie, I'll admit, but beautiful enough. She had chestnut brown hair that glinted red and blonde in the sunlight, and almond-shaped hazel eyes. She had an athletic sort of build, very slender but fast-looking, rather like a deer.

The Meadowes family had long had reputations of being staunchly loyal to the royal family, and Cassandra was no different. The underlying loyalty was soon enhanced by the closeness that developed between Cassandra and me, and unfortunately for Petunia and Valerie, Cassandra did not take her job as my lady-in-waiting lightly.

From then on, every practical joke that Petunia and Valerie played on me was immediately avenged. I remember one particularly enjoyable trick that Cassandra played. She emptied out all the vials, pots, jars, and bottles containing Petunia's and Valerie's cosmetics and replaced the makeup with indigo-colored dye—the kind that took a week or more to wear off.

Luckily for us, Petunia and Valerie did not go to Mother or Father either. Perhaps it was a matter of pride—I know if were an eleven-year-old girl, I'd be embarrassed if I were tricked by a younger, elfin little slip of a child—but in any case, the feud continued without any interference from Mother or Father.

As we grew older, the practical jokes turned into verbal sparring. Petunia and I mostly left Valerie and Cassandra to that—it was quite amusing to watch them. Admittedly, both were so acerbic with each other that these fights often ended with them descending into a glaring contest.

When I was seventeen, I received the news that so changed my life. A _betrothal_.

And that is where this story really begins.

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**AN:** Anyone see the line from the novel Memoirs of a Geisha?


	2. Not So Pleasant News

**AN:** Woah…I'm feeling the love, people! Thanks for all the reviews. I'm glad you liked the story…I was actually afraid Lily and the others were out of character. Thanks again, and enjoy this next chapter.

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**Chapter Two: Not-So Pleasant News **

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"Lily, what do you suppose he is?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean, Cassandra?"

"What is he? I mean, he cannot _possibly_ be human."

"Cassandra!" I scolded.

"But Lily," whined Cassandra, "it's true! He's just so _porky_. A man that fat shouldn't be able to stand! Ergo, he is not a man."

I covered my mouth with a hand, struggling not to laugh. Cassandra was right. Petunia's betrothed, His Royal Highness Vernon Dursley, Prince of Hufflepuff, was a thickset man with a ruddy face and hardly any neck, and he did indeed appear to be too hefty to be able to stand.

A triumphant expression appeared on Cassandra's face. "I'm right, and you know it," she said smugly.

Cassandra and I were strolling through the gardens, gossiping about the match Father had found for Petunia. So far, neither of us had anything nice to say about the man who, upon entering the palace, had begun quite the lengthy speech on how this pedestal was absolutely horrid-looking, that tapestry would look much better on the opposite wall, what an awful color the conservatory's curtains were, and good heavens, this sort of ghastly décor would never have been permitted in Hufflepuff.

"Petunia seems happy with him," I said diplomatically.

Cassandra snorted. "Petunia would be happy with a snake, given that the snake was wealthy," she retorted. "What's the man's title again? Some sort of earl, was it, or a marquis…"

"Goodness, no, Father would have a heart attack if Petunia married someone beneath her class," I said, chuckling. "He's a prince from Hufflepuff. Not the Crown Prince, mind. He's got an older sister…Marjorie, I think?"

"The king doesn't particularly like Prince Vernon, does he?" Cassandra commented.

"Not too much, no." As a matter of fact, Father downright _despised_ the arrogant, hefty Hufflepuff prince.

"Why ever then would he betroth her to Petunia?"

I grimaced. "To forge alliances," I replied darkly, "against Slytherin."

"Oh, yes." Cassandra glowered. "The Hogwarts Treaties won't be enough to make the king of Slytherin keep his word. That treacherous, slimy, evil son of a bi—"

"Cassandra!"

Cassandra smiled meekly. "Sorry."

"And if," I added, satisfied with Cassandra's apology, "heaven forbid, he wages war once more, Ravenclaw will be the first to fall." Our kingdom was the closest to Slytherin's borders, and therefore the most vulnerable to their attacks. "Alliances with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are necessary if we're to survive."

We were quiet for a moment, until Cassandra broke the silence.

"So, Prince Vernon will off and take the throne of Ravenclaw, I expect, with Petunia as queen," she said, in a lighter tone of voice.

"I suppose so."

Cassandra shivered. "Good God, I'm gone for sure," she said. "I am _not_ going to live at a court where laws are the whims of a piggy king and a horsy queen."

"Petunia is _not_ horsy!" I exclaimed.

"Come off it, Lily! That girl's got a neck longer than…" Cassandra trailed off. "Well, longer than something very long," she finished, looking quite annoyed with herself. "And you have _got_ to stop defending Petunia like that, Lily. Honestly, she resents you because you're _prettier_ than she is, and even that's evolved into thinking you're some sort of uncivilized freak just because you can't sew to save your life."

"Cassandra, really," I said disapprovingly.

She gave an aggravated little 'humph' and did not reply.

Before I could say anything more, one of my chambermaids rushed up to us, her face flushed and her breath coming in short gasps. "Your Highness, Lady Meadowes," she gasped, curtseying low.

"Easy, Tabitha," said Cassandra, placing a hand on the maid's shoulders.

"What is it?" I asked.

Tabitha sucked in a deep breath and curtseyed again. "His Majesty King Jacob requests your presence in the queen's receiving room, Your Highness. And the young Lady Meadowes is to come too."

I frowned. What on earth did Mother and Father want this time? "Thank you, Tabitha. You may go now."

Cassandra cast me a furtive look before glancing meaningfully at Tabitha. Tabitha looked at Cassandra over her shoulder and raised her brows; a look of worry clouded Cassandra's features.

Odd.

-o-o-o-

Mother's receiving room was at the very fore of her apartments. It was a breezy sort of room, pale lavender walls, polished marble floors, and white lace curtains fluttering in the slight breeze. The fireplace on the left wall had emptied of the ashes from last winter's fires, and the green-upholstered furniture had been replaced with the cream-colored ones.

Only Mother was in the room, seated serenely in one of the squashy, overstuffed armchairs.

"Your Majesty," said Cassandra, curtseying.

"My lady mother," I said, curtseying too.

"Darlings," said Mother as she stood up came over, kissing first my cheek and then Cassandra's. "Come and have a seat. Would you like a cup of tea? Or something cooler, perhaps…I find this weather just _so_ unbearable, don't you?"

What on earth is going on? "Where is Father? I thought it was he who called for Cassandra and me."

"Indeed he did, darling," said Mother, slowly sinking back into her armchair. "He'll be right here. Go on then, have a seat." She nodded at one of the couches. Promptly, Cassandra and I sat down.

"Tea? Pumpkin juice?"

"No, thank you, Mother," I replied. My stomach was twisting in such knots, I wasn't sure I could keep a cup of tea down.

While we waited for Father, I pondered on that little exchange between Cassandra and Tabitha. The way Cassandra had glanced at Tabitha and the Tabitha had glanced back suggested that both knew what this little meeting was going to be about. And if I interpreted the way Cassandra looked at me correctly, I think it's safe to say that this meeting had something to do with _me_.

I didn't even want to ponder what the look of worry on Cassandra's face meant.

Father's abrupt arrival pulled me out of my thoughts. As he entered the room, Mother, Cassandra, and I stood up and curtseyed, Cassandra's curtsey being significantly deeper considering she was not royalty.

"Father," I said, "what's all this about?"

Father sighed. "Best to have a seat, Lily-flower," he said, using his childhood nickname for me. "This might come as a bit of a shock."

I resumed my seat, and Mother and Cassandra did the same. Father, however, began pacing up and down the hardwood floors.

"Dear," said Mother gently, "best to spit it out and get it over with."

"Father?" I ventured uncertainly. "What's going on?"

Father stopped pacing and ran a hand over his face. Then, he looked at me squarely in the eye and said, "Lily, you're going to get married."

Well.

My mouth fell open, and I could feel my jaw working, moving, though no sound was coming out. My brain was scrambling for something to say, anything to say. I thought of asking Father, in a very dignified tone, of course, if this was all a joke.

Instead, I sucked in a deep breath and said, "What the bloody hell are you on about?!"

"Lily Susan Katherine Evans!" Mother gasped, scandalized.

"I apologize, Father, Mother," I said, playing the part of the meek, contrite lady. I did not want to hear Mother's lectures on proper dignity and decorum at the moment. "What I meant to say was, surely you must be joking?"

Father shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lily, but I'm not joking."

I clasped my hands in lap so rigidly my knuckles turned white, and I breathed in and out very rapidly. I was silent for a long while, until Cassandra, in a very small voice, said, "Lily?"

I took another deep, cleansing breath. "May I know who I am to be wedded to, Father?" I asked. I mentally patted myself on the back. I felt furious and terrified and nauseous, but my voice was calm and serene. I decided I'd freak out later, when Cassandra and I were alone.

Father, more than anything else, looked relieved. "Your betrothed is James Potter, the Crown Prince of Gryffindor. I have spoken with King Charlus and Queen Dorea, and they both agree on the match, and…"

I tuned Father out as he rattled off several reasons why such an alliance with the Gryffindors would benefit Ravenclaw, and how strong a force we would be in the looming hostilities with Slytherin, with Hufflepuff united with Ravenclaw through Petunia and Prince Vernon's marriage, and now Gryffindor and Ravenclaw would be united through _my_ marriage…

But the thing that caught my attention was when Father said, "You will leave in two days' time."

I looked up at him, shocked. "Ex_cuse_ me?"

"You will leave in two days' time," Father repeated. "By then, the escort Prince James sent will have arrived at Port Harlynne, and then you will travel by ship to Gryffindor You'll be given a month to get to know Prince James before the wedding, at least. "

I badly wanted to reply, "Oh, thank you ever so much, Father, for allowing me a month to get to know my soon-to-be husband before I wed him," in a sarcastic tone of voice, but Mother would probably have a conniption if I spoke that rudely to either her or Father. So, instead, I said, "I'd best be off and pack, then."

As I stood up, Father added, "Oh, and by the way, Lady Meadowes has requested that she be your chaperone during the journey. Quite unusual for a lady-in-waiting of the same age to be a chaperone, but I'm willing to make an exception. Lady Meadowes has a remarkably sensible head on her shoulders." And to Cassandra, he said, "I've already notified Lord Meadowes, and he approves wholeheartedly of your decision."

Cassandra inclined her head politely. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Barely suppressing my emotions, I stood and curtseyed. "By your leave, Father, I shall need to prepare for the journey."

"Of course, daughter," said Father. "Off you go."

I waited till Cassandra stood and curtseyed to both Father and Mother, then hurried out of the receiving room.

-o-o-o-

Cassandra and I went to my bedroom, and as soon as I had closed the door, I turned round and started screaming bloody murder.

"YOU KNEW!"

Cassandra, who sat on my bed, looked down, quite unable to meet my gaze. "Yes, I did," was all she said.

"YOU KNEW!" I repeated. "You knew that Father was going to up and have me betrothed to some Gryffindor prince, you knew I was slated to leave in two days' time! You knew AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!"

All was quiet, until I said, "How did you find out?"

"I overheard Petunia and Valerie gossiping about it. I confronted your parents about it but they begged me not to tell you. They thought it'd be better if you heard it from them."

"I'd at least have been prepared from this bombshell!" I retorted angrily.

Cassandra looked up. "I'm sorry, Lily," she cried. "If I could've told you, I would have! But your parents swore me to secrecy."

I sighed and relented. I was being really unfair to Cassandra. She'd only been doing what my parents told her to do.

I sat down beside her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders. "Oh, Cassandra," I sighed, "I'm sorry too. It was awful of me to shout at you like that. I know you were only obeying Mother and Father."

"No, Lily," said Cassandra firmly. "My duty is first and foremost to you, not the King Jacob and Queen Susan."

Then, we both giggled. Ever since childhood, Cassandra and I had habits of both apologizing for things that was only one person's fault, somehow twisting the subject so it ended up the other's fault as well.

"So," said Cassandra, after our giggle fit had subsided, "Crown Prince James Potter, eh?"

"Do you know anything about him?" I asked.

"Well," answered Cassandra, "he is currently the only child of King Charlus Potter V and Queen Dorea Black-Potter, making him first in line for the throne of Gryffindor. It might also interest you to know that Queen Dorea was originally from Slytherin."

I blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, really," said Cassandra. "Queen Dorea's father was Lord Cygnus Black, the Duke of Grimmauld, one of the most prominent Slytherin nobles."

Huh. "So, how'd Queen Dorea end up married to King Charlus? I thought the Slytherins were all about 'keeping their heritage pure'."

Cassandra laughed at the scorn dripping from my voice. "I don't actually know the story," she said. "No one does. I'd imagine the Slytherins have worked hard to keep Queen Dorea's flight from the kingdom a secret."

I looked curiously at Cassandra. "How'd you find out all these things anyway?"

Cassandra laughed. "Oh, Lily, I'm your lady-in-waiting!" she exclaimed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's my _job_ to find out all I can about those who you will meet and those will meet you. Royal protection and all that." She winked.

"Oh, please, Lady Morgan certainly doesn't do these things for Petunia."

"Lady Morgan doesn't take her job seriously," replied Cassandra. "And besides, I'm a _Meadowes_. My great-aunt Rachel Meadowes did the same thing when she was assigned to be your grandmother's lady-in-waiting. Checked out your grandfather's history and background and everything. Went all the way back and even spoke with his previous…_conquests_…to see if he'd satisfy in bed_._" Cassandra waggled her eyebrows.

I laughed. "No! That's outrageous!"

"It's true!" Cassandra brightened. "And I just thought of something else."

"What?"

"Just think of what Petunia's going to say when she finds out you're marrying a _Crown Prince!_"

And Cassandra and I descended into another fit of giggles.

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**AN:** Another short chapter…sorry, but the rest will be longer, I promise! Remember to review.


	3. Two Days' Time

**AN:** Gosh, I love you all! Because you've been such nice and sweet readers and reviewers, here's an update for you. Oh, and special thanks to Argengirl. I don't know if you've read my reply to your review yet, but I'm actually one of those writers who get so excited that it's borderline-aneurysm at the sight of even a one-liner review.

And now, replies to the anonymous reviewers!

Lilian72: Here's the update, dear. I hope my story lives up to your expectations.

Tazaloo: No pressure indeed! Don't worry about that. I love typing the story so much that writing the new chapters doesn't put any sort of pressure on me at all. Oh, and I'm glad you found to Memoirs of a Geisha line. It struck me as being particularly poetic that I thought, I just have to use that in a story. So I did!

The Magpie Method: If you'd like to read other Harry Potter AUs concerning princes and princesses, I suggest 'The Other Evans Girl' by NickeyMouse. It's only got one chapter, but so far, it's really good!

Anyway, onward ho!

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**Chapter Three: Two Days' Time**

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The following day, Father had his menservants bring to my apartments the trunks with the Evans coat-of-arms (a lily, a rose, and a daisy inside a crown). Aided by two chambermaids, Tabitha and Sarah, Cassandra and I packed up my clothes, all of them fabulously fashionable and staggeringly expensive.

"Ooh, Your Highness," sighed Sarah, holding up a cream chiffon gown with a tiered skirt and fitted sleeves, "what I would give to have a life such as yours."

"Believe me, Sarah, if I could only change places with you, I would gladly do so," I replied. I wonder what Petunia would have done had she found her own chambermaids holding up her dresses as Sarah was doing to mine.

Probably have a right old tantrum.

The thought cheered me up somewhat.

"But Your Highness, how could you ever want to give up all of this?" gasped Tabitha, placing a plum-colored satin gown in one of the trunks with utmost care. "Wealth, beauty, finery…you've everything I've ever wanted in life!"

I sighed deeply. Really, I was fond of Tabitha—her mother was one of the senior cooks and she'd grown up in the palace—but sometimes she could be so simple-minded. "Tabitha, are you married?"

Tabitha blushed. "Not yet, Your Highness, but I hope to be married soon," she replied.

"To whom?"

Tabitha's blush darkened. "To a handsome boy from the stables, Your Highness," she answered. "His name is Johnny."

"And do you love Johnny?" I asked pointedly.

And at that, Tabitha's eyes took on a distinctly sparkling glow. "Oh, Your Highness, indeed I am," she said. "Very, very much."

"That is precisely my point," I declared. "Tabitha, you will soon marry your Johnny, and you will marry him because you love him. I cannot marry for such a reason." The cheerful feeling I'd gotten from imagining one of Petunia's tantrums disappeared.

"Oh, Your Highness, it might not be all that bad," soothed Sarah.

"I hear His Highness Prince James is quite the handsome man," added Tabitha, winking.

I did not reply. James Potter could've been the handsomest man ever, but I could honestly care less. His good looks did not change the fact that I was marrying a complete and total _stranger_.

And then suddenly, like ramming into a wall, the entirety of the situation hit me. I was getting _married_. To a man who I knew _nothing_ about. I would be exiled to this strange country of Gryffindor, so very far from my home. Supposing James Potter was a cruel, heartless man? Supposing he refused to allow Cassandra to stay on as my lady-in-waiting, and forced her to leave? Supposing he would never let me visit my family, perhaps even forbidding them from coming to Gryffindor?

It could be that I'd never see my only friend, my parents, my homeland, ever again…

Tears began welling up in my eyes. I bit my lower lip and tilted my head back slightly, so the tears wouldn't fall down my cheeks.

"That's quite enough, Tabitha, Sarah," said Cassandra suddenly, startling the maids. "Kindly give the princess and me a moment alone."

Cassandra's tone was so crisp and sharp, both Tabitha and Sarah looked frightened. "Yes, Lady Meadowes," they chorused, curtseying before scurrying out of my bedroom.

As the door snapped shut, Cassandra gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "Tell me all about it, Lily," she said sternly.

I faked a laugh, which Cassandra clearly did not fall for. "Whatever are you talking about, Cassandra?"

Cassandra sighed. "Lily dear, I've known you since were both children of ten years. You should know by now, you can't fool me."

For a moment, I debated telling Cassandra everything, but then immediately tossed the idea away. My fears were absolutely ridiculous. Prince James couldn't forbid me from visiting my family or them from visiting me. That would be tantamount to kidnapping, and kidnapping me, a Princess of Ravenclaw at that! And Cassandra would never allow herself to leave me alone when I needed her. She would _murder_ the first person to suggest such a thing.

"Really, Cassandra, it's nothing at all to worry about," I insisted. "Come now, call Tabitha and Sarah back in. We've still got to pack the rest of my clothes and my jewelry, then you and I've a date with the library."

"Whatever for?"

"Father's allowed me to gather my favorite books and bring them with me to Gryffindor." At the thought, I smiled.

Cassandra laughed. "Oh, Lily, if there's anything that can get you to cheer up, it's books." Still laughing, she made her way to the doors of my bedroom and called for Sarah and Tabitha.

"Your Highness, we are so terribly sorry if we've offended you!" exclaimed Tabitha as she and Sarah curtseyed deeply.

I waved their apology away. "It's no trouble, Sarah, Tabitha," I replied. "All is forgiven."

And so the rest of the morning, Cassandra, Tabitha, Sarah, and I spent our time packing up my clothing, shoes, and jewelry. I gladly gave away my perfumes and makeup, most of which were too ostentatious for my tastes, to Mother's ladies-in-waiting. Still, doing so would not forever rid me of the cloying scents and showy face-paints, because I was sure to receive more as gifts from various nobles and such once I was in Gryffindor.

Once the trunks were packed up (a change of clothes left out for me to change into before I left Rowena City, Ravenclaw's capital, for Port Harlynne), I sent Tabitha and Sarah back to their everyday duties. Then Cassandra and I headed for the library.

We left the library struggling to carry the tall piles of books in our arms.

Another trunk had to be fetched out of storage.

-o-o-o-

The second day was less interesting, not to mention more aggravating.

As was custom, the bride's family provided the fabrics and other materials necessary for a wedding gown, while the groom's family paid to have it made. And so it was that Mother engulfed me in a storm of dressmakers coming and going from the palace, bringing with them all sorts of silks, satins, taffetas, brocades, velvets, and chiffons, as well as pouches of seed pearls and tiny jewels to adorn the gown.

So there I was in the middle of Mother's receiving room, draped in the fabrics the dressmakers had left behind, standing stiffly upon a wooden stool while Petunia and Valerie sulked in one corner and Mother's ladies squabbled. ("Heavens, are you blind? Princess Lily cannot possibly have that horrid excuse for silk on her gown…it simply does not suit her!" Lady Anita Davies snapped, to which Lady Meredith Chang replied, "Goodness no, it is you who is blind, you old twit! That sort of cloth will make Her Highness look like some sort of odd weed!")

I did not even have Cassandra's dryly exasperated looks to keep me entertained. As the most junior of the ladies-in-waiting, it was her job to meet the dressmakers at the palace's entrance and escort them to Mother's apartments.

Just as I began to feel my patience determinedly slipping through my fingers, the doors opened and Cassandra stepped in, an infuriated expression on her face. "Mistress Arabella Figg requests an audience with Queen Susan and Princess Lily," she announced, a little louder than was necessary, earning her some glares from the ladies.

A gray-haired elderly woman who I assumed was Arabella Figg entered the receiving room, a large leather satchel on her back. Arabella had a very grandmotherly sort of look about her, with her bony figure and wise eyes. She entered Mother's receiving room with a wide, affable smile, drawing everyone's attention to her friendly warmth.

"Is this the girl to be married, then?" asked Arabella, bustling over to me. When I nodded, she curtseyed and came up beaming brightly. "Delighted to meet you, Your Highness." She then began to circle me, nodding approvingly every so often. "My, my, never before have I seen such a lovely girl. You will make your husband a very happy man, Your Highness."

"Mistress Figg," said Mother coldly, rather affronted that Arabella had flouted etiquette and greeted me before her, "perhaps we should skip the pleasantries, don't you think? Why don't you show us your wares?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Arabella curtseyed to Mother, then turned to face me. She smiled slightly and winked. I was startled, but I smiled back.

Arabella was a very efficient woman, and in hardly any time at all she'd shown us the single bolt of cloth she'd brought with her, along with two small leather pouches containing seed pearls and miniscule emeralds for embroidery.

I love Arabella's cloth. It was pure white silk, the kind that shimmered ethereally in sunlight. I could just see myself in this, floating down the aisle, carrying sweet-smelling flowers in my hands and smiling radiantly…

The thought certainly eased my marriage woes. What can I say? I'm a romantic at heart.

Goodness, before I was betrothed to James Potter, I dreamed of _love_.

Love for a princess? _Ha!_

But I digress.

"Mother?"

Mother, who was talking quietly with Lady Anita Davies and Arabella, looked up. "Yes, Lily?"

"Perhaps, Mother, since it is I who is to be wed, I could choose the cloth for my wedding gown?"

Mother looked surprised, but, thankfully, not scandalized. "Why, of course, Lily," she said. "Although I wonder, is it really proper for the bride herself to make such decisions—?"

But before Mother could finish her sentence, I interrupted and said, "I choose Mistress Figg's cloth."

Mother's brows shot up. "But Lily, dear—"

I shook my head. "I would like Mistress Figg's cloth to be used for my wedding gown," I said, more firmly. "I like it."

Mother caved in. "Very well. Mistress Figg, come and we shall discuss your fees for the cloth. And the seed pearls, I think. The emeralds match Lily's eyes, but they don't go so well with wedding gowns, I find…"

After Mother and Arabella Figg had settled the fees, Cassandra showed Arabella to the front doors, then returned in time for Mother to tell me she'd chosen my bridal party.

"Lady Ingrid Chang, I think," said Mother, nodding to acknowledge Lady Meredith Chang, Lady Ingrid's mother. "And Lady Persephone Lovegood should go too." Lady Jennifer Lovegood, Lady Persephone's aunt, beamed. "And Lady Persephone's brother, Lord Xenophilius, should go along. Of course he won't be part of the bridal party, but it will be good to have some male escorts, just so the men Prince James shall send won't be _too_ overwhelmed. I suppose, Lady Anita, your young son should go too. Joseph, correct?"

Lady Anita nodded. "Yes, Joseph Davies."

"Very good. Lady Amelia Bones should come, and her brother, Lord Edgar Bones." Helen Bones, Lady Amelia and Lord Edgar's elder sister, nodded and looked pleased. "And of course, Petunia, Lady Valerie, and Prince Vernon. And Lady Cassandra Meadowes." Mother counted off the names on her fingers and nodded. "Yes, quite right. Now then, Lily, I should think you'd like to make Petunia your maid-of-honor."

"With all due respect, Mother," I said, struggling to contain my horror, "I'd prefer Lady Cassandra to be my maid-of-honor. After all"—I shot a sickly sweet smile in Petunia's direction, taunting her for losing her chance to ruin my wedding—"Petunia is to be married soon, is she not? I'd just _hate_ for her to be so terribly tired."

Mother nodded. "Very well. Lady Meadowes will be your maid-of-honor. Now then, Lady Ingrid, Lady Persephone, and Lady Amelia will have the choice of staying in Gryffindor as Lily's ladies-in-waiting—she will need more ladies-in-waiting, now she's to be crown princess and soon queen—or returning here to Ravenclaw. Lady Chang, Lady Lovegood, Lady Bones, I trust you to inform your girls."

"Of course, Your Majesty," all three chorused.

"Lily," said Mother, "the Queen Dorea has informed me that you shall be provided with some Gryffindor ladies-in-waiting after the wedding."

"The queen is very gracious," was all I replied.

"And don't worry about your dowry, your father and I've put it all together. I think King Charlus, Queen Dorea, and Prince James shall be very pleased with it…"

Mother continued on, but I hardly heard anything. I just wanted to sleep, though considering the wedding-themed nightmares that would most assuredly plague me in the night, I might not close my eyes at all.

* * *

**AN:** Meh, another filler chapter. :3


	4. Such Memorable Journeys

**AN:** Loads of people have been asking when James and Lily are going to meet, so if you're one of those people, _**please read this!**_ Lily and James will meet either in the fifth or sixth chapter. No worries, people! I'm as excited for them to meet as you are!

* * *

**Chapter Four: Such Memorable Journeys**

* * *

The day I was to leave was pure, unadulterated chaos.

The palace was in a constant, flurrying stream of activity. Grooms brought the carriages to the front of the palace, where footmen and page boys were waiting with numerous trunks, containing my belongings and my dowry, and the belongings of my ladies and other companions. Maidservants scurried up and down the staircases, carrying armfuls of gowns and large fluffy towels, as well as various soaps, perfumes, and cosmetics for their mistresses. The cooks flew around the kitchens, preparing fruit, vegetable, and meat dishes for those making the long journey to Gryffindor.

Thankfully, the stress of organizing my bridal party in the queen's rooms was abbreviated somewhat, as we only had to wait for Ingrid Chang, Persephone Lovegood, and Amelia Bones to arrive at the palace. Cassandra, Valerie, Petunia, and Prince Vernon were, of course, at court, as were Edgar Bones, Xenophilius Lovegood, and Joseph Davies. The last three had been summoned from their homes at the age of thirteen, you see, to serve my father the king.

But before I continue, I should explain something about our life here at the palace:

The clerks and secretaries, the lowest of the courtiers, are merely flies picking at the leftovers of a carcass, with nowhere else in the kingdom to go. They cannot farm for they have no land, they cannot start their own businesses for they have no money. True, they have the income Father pays them for their services, but that is just enough to purchase clothing, food, and drink; they quarter in the palace and rely on the royal family's generosity. Only if a clerk or secretary happened to impress the king or the queen can he be promoted to an important position, and even with an increase in funds, he would have to save up for a long while before he accumulate enough money to buy a home or start a business of his own.

Of course, the most powerful and most wealthy of the nobles, such as Cassandra's family, are not trapped at court in this way. The clerks and secretaries are flies, whereas they are the magnificent lions feasting on the kill. They have their own homes and their own lands, and may leave court for any amount of time, permanently if they so wish. A wealthy noble will often send his children to court to serve the royal family, so their family may stay in the king and queen's favor. Sometimes, a lady a gentleman in a previous king's or queen's service will attend to the next king or queen, if only to keep their families in good standing. A young girl or boy is taken to the palace as early as the age of thirteen; ten for the children of exceptionally influential families such as the Meadowes family or the Morgan family.

This is how Cassandra, Valerie Morgan, Xenophilius Lovegood, Edgar Bones, Joseph Davies, and other members of nobility came to live at the palace.

Ingrid Chang, Persephone Lovegood, and Amelia Bones, however, had not been sent to court by their parents, despite being their respective ages of fourteen, fifteen, and seventeen. According to Mother, the three ladies had all left Ravenclaw at the age of two and were raised in Helga City in the Hufflepuff court, in the care of the Baroness Michelle Abbot of Fayhaven, who was distantly related to all three girls. It is uncommon for powerful families to put their children in the courts of foreign countries, but not _that_ uncommon, especially if said family's connections are more influential abroad than at home.

By the time the three ladies arrived at the palace, accompanied by their nursemaids and other assorted servants, Cassandra and I had locked ourselves in the bathing room adjacent to my bedchamber (escaping the hassle of greeting them and leaving it all to Mother and Petunia). The great pool in the center of the marble floor was already filled up, thanks to a piping system that drew water from an underground source and heated it.

"The lavender, Lily?" Cassandra indicated the shelf containing the soaps, perfumes, and oils used by ladies for bathing.

"As always," I replied, stepping behind the changing screen and stripping off my gown and underclothes. While Cassandra's back was respectfully turned, I lowered myself into the tub and pulled my knees to my chest, my red hair floating in the heated water that just came up to the tops of my breasts.

Cassandra came over and handed me an uncapped bottle of lavender oil and a soapy washcloth. I poured a generous amount into the water and began scrubbing myself with the washcloth, enjoying the smooth, slippery feel of the soap on my skin.

"Can you spare for a while, Lily?" asked Cassandra. "I need to bathe as well, and I am sure Valerie will have gone and told the maidservants to take my trunks from the carriages back to my quarters just to spite me…"

I laughed. "Oh, really, Cassandra," I replied, shaking my head. "Alright, go. But come and help me change into my gown when you're done. I can never get those blasted laces all on my own!"

Cassandra smiled. "Of course I shall come. By your leave, _Queen_ Lily," she said teasingly, curtseying before hurrying out of the bathing room, quickly getting out of range before I could toss something at her.

I soaked in the bathtub for a good, long while, wondering if this would be the last proper bath I'd have before arriving at Gryffindor. Journeying to other kingdoms is such a hassle; the bathing rooms in small towns' inns are cramped, smelly things with tiny wooden bathtubs and piping that bring up cold water, and there aren't even anything of the sort on ships, so a voyage across an ocean means, at the very least, a fortnight of no bathing.

Grimacing at the thought, I scrubbed myself clean and washed off all the soap, then I drained the pool (the piping system was quite capable of taking water away as well as bringing it up) and climbed out. I slipped into the silk robe hanging over the changing screen, firmly knotting the sash around my waist. Then, my feet bare and my hair dripping wet, I left the bathing room and reentered my bedchamber.

While I was in the bathing room, a maid had lain out for me a gown and clean under-things, a cloak bundled up near my pillow, slippers at the foot of my bed. I shed my robe and quickly dressed, and by the time Cassandra arrived, fresh from her bath, I only had to lace up my own gown and comb my hair before I was done.

She went over to me without being asked, the hem of her gown sweeping the floor, the soles of her riding boots softly padding across the marble. A smile played on her lips as she began doing up the laces of my gown.

"I hate laces," I grumbled. "Such a hassle. I don't know how any woman can learn how to do these things up. I certainly haven't tried." Petunia had tried to teach me to do up my own gowns, when we were but children and Valerie had not yet become her lady-in-waiting, but I had been a hopeless student.

"Which is why you have me," said Cassandra amusedly. "_Et voila!_" she exclaimed, deftly tying the last lace with a flourish.

"Yes, yes, we all praise your unprecedented skill at doing up laces," I replied dryly.

"Not quite enough, I should think," replied Cassandra, smirking. She picked up a silver-backed brush from my vanity and began running it through my hair. After she'd smoothed out all the tangles, she quickly braided my hair. Then, laughing, she took my arm. "Come, soon-to-be Queen of Gryffindor," she said, leading me to the door. "Your bridal party awaits you in Her Majesty's drawing room."

-o-o-o-

Valerie announced us at Mother's apartments, with much contempt in her voice. "Her Highness, Lily Susan Katherine Evans, Princess of Ravenclaw, and Lady Cassandra Meadowes of Silverholt."

Cassandra and I entered Mother's drawing room, where she spent her idle moments sewing or reading with her ladies, or perhaps enjoying a song or musical composition from one of her younger girls. As we entered, she rose from her beautifully-carved rocking chair, set either by the windows or the fireplace, depending on the weather, to greet Cassandra and me. Her ladies rose as well, and the three young men who'd been dawdling in the corner, awkwardly making conversation with some younger, giggling girls.

"Lily, the ladies of your bridal party who you've yet to meet," said my mother. Three young ladies scurried to her side, all three wearing expressions of anxiety and distress mixed with self-importance.

"This is Lady Ingrid Chang"—Mother indicated a tall, black-haired, brown-eyed girl—"Lady Persephone Lovegood"—the pretty blonde, blue-eyed, porcelain doll standing by Mother looked up for a second before shifting her gaze back to the floor—"and Lady Amelia Bones." The pretty copper-haired girl with honey-colored eyes and a bold expression standing at Persephone's side smiled confidently.

The three ladies curtseyed. "Pleased to meet you, Your Highness," said Persephone, her voice soft, whispery, and timid.

"It will be a pleasure to serve you," added Amelia genially.

"I am most delighted to be a part of Her Highness's household," said Ingrid, smiling warmly at me.

"It is I who is honored to have such good ladies in my bridal party," I replied, courteous as always.

"And of course," interrupted Mother, "you've met Lord Xenophilius and Lord Edgar, Persephone's and Amelia's brothers? And Lord Joseph, Lady Anita's son?"

"We've had the pleasure," said Lord Edgar as he and his comrades bowed to me. "And believe me when I say that had I not known the Princess Lily beforehand, I would have called her, as I see her now, an angel descended from the heavens to grace us mere mortals."

I laughed. Edgar was younger than I, and when he'd arrived at the palace as a stripling of thirteen I was already a young girl of fifteen, but we'd quickly struck up a camaraderie based on a mutual love of learning and a shared loathing of Lady Valerie Morgan. "Really, Lord Edgar, you flatter me so. You'd do well to refrain from such words in Gryffindor. My betrothed might not take to it so well."

"Indeed, we all envy your betrothed, Princess Lily," said Xenophilius, who at sixteen was a year younger than I, not quite as close to me as young Lord Edgar, but still much closer than, oh, say, Lady Valerie. "Prince James is truly a lucky man."

"A lucky man," echoed Joseph Davies in a barely audible voice. The poor boy was only thirteen years old, new to court, and he looked positively frightened to be in the Queen of Ravenclaw's drawing room.

"And he is certainly a man who must not be kept waiting," said Mother smartly. "Come, ladies, gentlemen, we shall all of us see you off."

At my mother's command, we all swept out of her drawing room and left her apartments, making our way to the steps leading up to the great front doors of the palace, where the carriages that would take us to Port Harlynne were waiting. In the entrance hall, we were met by the families of the bridal party members, as well as Prince Vernon, dressed in his very finest clothes, with leather boots polished to a high shine and a wide-brimmed hat with a single peacock's plume dancing in it.

"Oh, doesn't he look so handsome?" Petunia sighed, watching as Vernon greeted Mother with a deep bow.

"Certainly, if your tastes run towards the piggish sort," remarked Cassandra snidely.

"And what do _your_ tastes run towards, Lady Meadowes?" asked Petunia, in a sad attempt at the riposte.

"I like a man whose chest's girth is not larger than my own, for one," replied Cassandra sweetly.

Everyone who'd been listening to the exchange choked and spluttered in an attempt to keep back laughter. I personally enjoyed Petunia's purpling face and her hissed attempts to get Valerie to snap back at Cassandra, and especially when Petunia's purple color turned a dull red when Valerie muttered something along the lines of, "She's not said anything to me, so you're on your own."

"Come, come, ladies, gentlemen, we've not all day!" exclaimed Mother. "Lady Chang, Lady Lovegood, and Lady Bones, I understand that, since you are new to court, you've not yet horses of your own. Worry not; we've provided suitably docile mares for you ladies to ride."

Ingrid, Persephone, and Amelia curtseyed. "Our thanks, Your Majesty," said Amelia, the eldest of the three.

"Now off and say your goodbyes, we've a schedule to keep," said Father.

Cassandra hurried away to her parents, Lord Edward Meadowes and Lady Isabelle Roth-Meadowes. Lord Edward and Lady Isabelle used to serve my parents, but left court when Lady Isabelle became pregnant, and they never returned, content to stay in Silverholt lands. Currently, Cassandra is the only Meadowes at court, which is a shame, really, because, as I've mentioned before, the Meadowes are perhaps the most loyal of the noble families to the crown. I've heard Cassandra's younger sister Darla Meadowes will come to court next year, and her younger brother Thomas Meadowes will go the year after that. There are also some cousins who will come to court after I've been married, after Cassandra's become head of my household in Gryffindor.

I saw the Earl of Pennhollow there, warmly embracing his daughter Valerie. Lady Heather Morgan, the Countess of Pennhollow, leaned over to kiss her daughter on the cheek. But then, Lady Heather's lips subtly moved from Valerie's smooth face to her ear and whispered something. Valerie nodded determinedly, and Lady Heather hissed something in response. When the countess straightened up, she turned and looked at me with such absolute hatred that I, frightened, spun round to avoid her piercing gaze.

"Lily-flower! Are you not going to say goodbye to your own parents?"

I turned round and ran into my father's embrace, feeling my mother's tender kiss on my cheek, and, for the moment, forgetting about everything; Valerie, her mother, and my impending marriage.

-o-o-o-

The first leg of the journey was an unpleasant one.

The cavalcade went through Ravenclaw's countryside, the Evans standard in front, followed by the men on horseback. Behind them were Cassandra and Valerie, who both rode like men. Then came the carriage with Petunia and I in it, Ingrid, Amelia, and Persephone behind us, all three of them primly riding sidesaddle. Behind them came the carriages filled with our luggage and my dowry, our maidservants bringing up the rear.

We stopped at every town and village we encountered so we could refresh ourselves, replenish our supplies, spend some nights in local inns instead of sitting upright while sleeping. The larger cities, such as Helena City, had grand inns with piping systems that gave hot water, fine bedclothes, and lovely rooms of gilded furnishings and marble floors. However, the smaller towns had dinky little inns with tiny rooms, rough cots, scratchy linens, and the smelly bathing rooms with wooden tubs and cold water.

Contrary to what I had previously thought, it was not the cold water or the lack of a proper bathing room that bothered me. It was Petunia's and Valerie's unreasonable demands that the inns' cooks stop their work and use their great iron stoves to heat stones that would warm up their bathwater, and their incessant whining when they would not get their way.

We all of us took to leaving the inns at extended periods of time, if only to take a turn around the town, in order to avoid the ceaseless griping. Only Prince Vernon stayed behind with his 'delicate, dainty, lovely bride-to-be' and her 'fair blossom of a lady-in-waiting', chiding us all for leaving such 'frail, refined, flowering, helpless ladies' on their own. (Only Petunia gazed upon the Hufflepuff prince with adoration; even Valerie looked nauseated and ready to murder Vernon.)

We reached Port Harlynne in a week, and it was not soon enough.

The agreed-upon meeting place was the Rose and Crown, a local inn known for its high prices, luxuriousness, and excellent services. Our grooms took the horses and carriages away, and our maidservants brought our trunks to our rooms. After inquiring with the Rose and Crown's proprietor, Cassandra confirmed that the men Prince James had sent were already there, and that the proprietor would arrange for us all to meet in the dining hall for dinner.

Following refreshing baths in the inn's beautiful bathing rooms, we gathered in the inn's entrance hall before going into the dining hall. We all of us were dressed in our finery—not the finest, of course, but fine enough to surely impress the prince's men.

There were many curtseys and bows from the patrons as we entered the dining hall. As Mother had taught us to do, Petunia and I awarded each of them with only a cursory glance and a slight inclining of the head. The ladies and the men, however, being peers of these nobles, bowed or curtseyed more or less at the same level, although they did not stop completely as they would when greeting a member of the royal family.

The Gryffindor men sat at a long wooden table at the very end of the dining hall, the table groaning under the weight of several mouthwatering dishes and great tankards of drinks. There were three men waiting for us, and two of them were the most handsome—the tallest of the three had longish black hair that fell with a casual sort of elegance, a well-defined face, and a muscled body that could not be hidden by his grand clothes; the other had sandy-brown hair and a lean, slightly muscled sort of figure, he was deathly pale but had the bluest eyes anyone had ever seen. The third one, however…he was short and rather squat, with straw-blonde hair, a long nose, and small watery blue eyes.

All three rose as we approached the table. "Good evening, Your Highness," greeted the black-haired gentleman. "We are sent by His Highness Prince James to escort you and your bridal party to our fair kingdom. I am Sirius Black, a Knight of the Realm. And this is Remus Lupin, the Duke of Bloodmoon, and Peter Pettigrew, Viscount Wormtail."

I curtseyed, doing my best to stifle my laughter at the name 'Wormtail'. "We are honored, Sir Black, Lord Lupin, Lord Pettigrew," I replied.

And so we wined and dined, and I found myself enjoying the company of these Gryffindor men. Sir Sirius Black was a lively soul, relentlessly flirting with Ingrid, Valerie, Cassandra, and me. (Amelia would not tolerate such flirtations, and Persephone was so timid she merely flushed whenever Sir Black would so much as speak to her.) Remus Lupin looked to be a gentle sort of man, but his dry humor was so very witty that it near sent me into screaming peals of laughter. (As a matter of fact, Cassandra looked to be absolutely enchanted with the man.) Peter Pettigrew, although unpleasant-looking, had the sort of boyish sweetness that one could not help but adore.

Only my sister Petunia and the Prince Vernon appeared as if they did not enjoy the meal. They kept silent and only smiled coldly when spoken to. It would not have surprised me if their thoughts went something along the lines of, "Goodness, how horribly dressed these Gryffindors are," and, "Mercy me, that Sir Black is so crass! What a disgrace to polite company!"

After dinner, we bade each other a good night and retreated to our rooms. On the morrow we would sail for Gryffindor.

-o-o-o-

The second leg of the journey was much more pleasurable than the first.

We were to cross the Eastern Sea on the_ Marauder_, Prince James' very own warship. It was an impressive craft, complete with clean quarters, a well-stocked galley, and the deck scrubbed so thoroughly it shined underneath the summer sun. At the top of the great mast fluttered a standard I'd never seen before—a lion wearing a crown of lilies. Neither the Potter standard nor the Evans standard was in sight.

After we had all been settled in our quarters, and as soon as the ship had set sail, I set out to look for Sirius Black and found him on deck, leaning against the railing and talking to one of the ship's crew.

"Sir Black?" I called.

He dismissed the sailor he'd been speaking with and bowed to me, coming up with a friendly smile on his face. "Please, Your Highness, call me Sirius, and you may call Lord Lupin Remus and Lord Pettigrew Peter. You are to be married to our best friend; I feel we should at least be on first-name terms."

I returned his smile. I had a feeling I'd like the young Sir Black. "Very well, Sirius, can you tell me whose standard is that?" I pointed to the top of the mast.

Sirius looked up. "Why, Your Highness, that is the standard Prince James commissioned for your wedding. The royal couple's standard. The lilies are, of course, you. The lion is Prince James. They call him the Lion of Gryffindor, you see." He then smirked. "I believe the crown of lilies means that you are the crowning glory of His Highness."

I ignored the warmth that crept up my cheeks at the compliment paid to me. "Why do they call Prince James the Lion of Gryffindor?" I asked.

"Because he is the bravest of men," said Sirius simply, as if it were gospel truth. "Do you recall the First War, Your Highness?"

"Please, Sirius, return the favor and call me Lily," I replied. "But regarding the First War, I remember very little of it. I was just a child of twelve, and though my father fought at the head of his armies, he told me nothing of it. Although I think my lady-in-waiting Cassandra Meadowes may know quite a lot. She was just as young as I, but learning to be a tactician in matters of diplomacy and war, and already schooled in the arts of combat."

"Quite a lady," said Sirius, impressed.

"Yes, indeed. Her father is Lord Edward Meadowes, the Duke of Silverholt. Lord Meadowes is the most powerful man in Ravenclaw, besides my own father the king, and Ravenclaw's War Master. He was a general of the army before he became a nobleman, and even now it is he who marshals Ravenclaw's marine forces and land armies, and all the generals look to him for advice."

"Oh, _that_ Lord Meadowes. Yes, I know of him. He is quite renowned among those in the know of war affairs. Your lady has quite the extraordinary roots," remarked Sirius. "Anyway, the First War. It was fought between Slytherin and an alliance of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Slytherin's king, Thomas Riddle, was desirous of Ravenclaw lands. Naturally, Jacob II, your father, immediately sought alliance with Charlus V of Gryffindor, the king most poised to help him, geographically-speaking at least. So Charlus V sailed with a great Gryffindor army to the Baron Plains, the southern borders of Ravenclaw that just precede the shores of the Helena Sea, across which is Slytherin."

"Yes, I know. My tutors have made sure that my knowledge of geography is first-rate," I replied, wrinkling my nose.

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "I share your dislike of such overbearing tutors, Princess Lily, worry not," he said, winking. "Well, anyway, the Prince James was but a lad of thirteen, and yet he stowed away on the ships that carried his father and his father's army here to Ravenclaw. James was a bit of an arrogant prat back then, and he fancied himself a young warrior. Still, he fought most bravely in the battle against Slytherin, and claimed a victory for the combined forces of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor when he slew the Slytherin War Master, Lord Abraxas Malfoy."

My eyes widened. "He…_killed_…"

Sirius nodded. "James was a young boy, and Lord Malfoy a seasoned warrior. It came as a great shock to everyone, a tragedy for the Slytherins, and a triumph for the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws."

I gaped; it was now I who was impressed.

"It was also the prince who called for a meeting of the four kings on the great island of Hogwarts to discuss a truce, so no more blood need be shed. He called upon the great Albus Dumbledore, his father's most trusted advisor, and together they drafted the Hogwarts Treaties, which prohibits the four kingdoms from invading each other.

"Charlus V was beside himself with pride, joy, and anger," continued Sirius, "and he publicly declared at the celebrations that he could not decide whether to honor his son or box his ears."

I laughed, imagining the sight, the old king torn between glee and fury, the young prince proud and embarrassed of his accomplishment. "And people came to call James the Lion of Gryffindor, for his bravery in facing Lord Malfoy and the Slytherin army."

"And his foolishness," Cassandra declared, walking over to join us. "The lion symbolizes bravery, but it also symbolizes manhood, and what man have you met who has not been a fool at least once in his lifetime?"

"None at all, Lady Meadowes," conceded Sirius, bowing to her smiling.

"You are most accepting, Sir Black," said Cassandra, curtseying with a mad grin on her face.

I found myself enjoying the crossing. Aside from the pleasing company of my bridal party and the Gryffindor men, I adored the sailors. They were crude with each other but endearingly polite in my presence and in the presence of the other ladies, and they were never too busy to help us find our sea legs.

Soon enough, Amelia, Ingrid, Persephone, and I could often be found reclining in hammocks set up on deck, mending torn sails and fishnets, conversing with the shy cabin boys swabbing the decks, or learning from the sailors how to fish. Cassandra was often with the captain, an old bearded man by the name of Henry Wilson, discussing nautical travel and learning how to navigate by the stars. Weather permitting, Cassandra would don a homespun shirt and a pair of torn breeches, and go running and climbing up the mast like a little mouse and secure ropes and tie up sails like a real sailor, while we ladies ooh-ed and aah-ed on the deck, and the men cheered her on.

On the other hand, Petunia, sniffing with disgust, spent her time hovering over me and periodically declaring, "I shall write Mother and Father about this shockingly unladylike behavior, Lily, mark my words."

Valerie spent the duration of the crossing in her quarters, curled up on her cot, every so often lifting her head to throw up in the bucket one of the sailors had been kind enough to place at her bedside.

* * *

**AN:** Well, we know a little about James' past and the Hogwarts Treaties I mentioned in the second chapter. And what's up with Valerie and her mum? And oolala, it seems darling Cassandra is falling for our dear Remy!


	5. Hate at First Sight

**AN:** Oh God, I just realized now that in the previous chapter I called James' father Charlus V, and in the second chapter he was Charlus II! I've decided to switch from Charlus II to Charlus V, and now the second chapter says Charlus V as well (personally, I think Charlus V sounds more king-ish than Charlus II). To those who spotted my error, kudos to you! I have a bit of a problem with consistency, sorry! XD

* * *

**Chapter Five: Hate at First Sight **

* * *

The _Marauder_ docked at Port Trinity, the most prominent of Gryffindor's port cities, near the end of August; A month had passed since we'd left Port Harlynne in Ravenclaw. Summer had come and gone, and the weather had changed; the sun was still shining, but the wind was colder, and the sky was thick with gray clouds.

"We made good time," commented Cassandra as we disembarked. "Had we not arrived just at the end of the summer months, we'd have to contend with autumn rainstorms at sea."

"Can you just imagine? What if Captain Wilson had told us to toss all our fine things overboard?" asked Persephone solemnly. "How very dreadful!"

"Why get rid of our luggage, when pushing Prince Vernon overboard would make even more of a difference in the cargo's weight?" said Amelia cheekily.

"And poison such lovely oceans? For shame, Amelia," said Ingrid, grinning.

We fairly roared with laughter.

Carriages sent by Prince James were waiting at the harbor to take us to the Golden Chalice, only one of the dozen or so grand inns that cater exclusively to the wealthy scattered all over Port Trinity. Once the Golden Chalice's proprietor had assigned us all rooms, Valerie, emitting the sour odor of vomit, rushed to the bathing room of the chamber she shared with Petunia and spent quite some time inside, scrubbing her skin raw and brushing her teeth till her gums were red and sore.

The rest of us, too, locked ourselves up in our respective bathing rooms and did not come out until dinner, when we were all nice and clean. The closest we'd gotten to a bath on board the _Marauder_ were washcloths and buckets of water. We ladies were quite thankful for the hot water and the sweet-smelling soap, and we all were dying to wash our hair (especially Petunia, who'd accidentally tripped while helping the cook in the galley and gotten smelly vegetable peelings all over her head).

The following day, we immediately set off in Prince James' carriages for Godric City, Gryffindor's capital. Sirius, Remus, and Cassandra rode at the head, carrying the Potter standard, the royal couple's standard, and the Evans standard respectively. Behind them were the rest of the men; Peter, Edgar, Xenophilius, and Joseph. Then came the royal carriage, where Petunia and I rode in oppressive silence. Riding behind us were the ladies, and behind them were the carriages for our luggage and my trousseau. As always, the maidservants brought up the rear. Prince James had also sent to Port Trinity a dozen armed men, to guard the bridal train.

As when we had traveled through Ravenclaw, we stopped at every town, city, and village encountered. However, very unlike then, wherever we went, people flocked to the roadsides, cheering for me, waving handkerchiefs and little red-and-gold pennants, tossing hats into the air, the children kissing their hands and waving them at me.

"You will soon be their queen," said Petunia jealously, when we entered the city following Port Trinity, crowds gathered and calling out blessings and cheers. "In Ravenclaw, you were but a second daughter. An unimportant princess; a younger sister to me, the future Queen of Ravenclaw. Here you are queen-to-be in your own right, and your people celebrate you."

I was touched at the thought of these people welcoming me to their country, so hoping I would be a good queen to them. So, smiling, I stood and clambered out of the carriage, ignoring Petunia's scandalized gasps of horror, and went to my people.

The cheering intensified as I walked at the side of the cavalcade, waving and smiling kindly, touching the heads of the small children and bowing and curtseying to mothers, old ladies, and their grizzled husbands. "God bless the Princess Lily!" someone cried out loudly, and the crowd took up the chant.

"God bless the Princess Lily!"

"God bless our queen-to-be!"

And so it was whenever we went through a town, a city, or a village. I walked instead of riding the carriage, seeing my future kingdom, knowing my future people.

Later on, Remus remarked that what I did was the most politically astute thing I could have done, that a new queen could have done. I walked in the streets and I unknowingly told my people, "We are the same, you and I," and I gave them hope of a just and fair queen.

-o-o-o-

Four days of travel later, and we arrived at the picturesque Sword City, just a day's ride from Godric City, the capital. It was there that I received a letter from Her Highness, Queen Dorea, Prince James' mother.

A knock came to my rooms at the inn, and before I had given my consent, the doors flew open and in ran Persephone, her hair flapping behind her like a silvery-blonde cape, her pale face flushed with excitement. She carried in her small hand an envelope, and before she stood before me I could see the gleam of red sealing the envelope, the Gryffindor crest carved in the wax.

"A letter's just arrived, Your Highness. A messenger from Godric City's brought it. It's from the Queen of Gryffindor," said Persephone breathlessly, looking near faint with excitement.

I took the letter from her trembling fingers. "Thank you, Persephone," I said. "Now, would you be so kind as to fetch Lady Cassandra for me? She will know what to make of Her Majesty's letter."

"Of course, Your Highness," said Persephone. "But…Your Highness?"

"Yes, Persephone?"

Persephone fidgeted for a moment before finally saying, "Lady Cassandra has lately been constantly in the company of Lord Lupin, Your Highness, and the inn's other guests are starting to talk. Perhaps you could speak to her for me? Tell her I only fear for her reputation."

I hid a smile, knowing Cassandra did not care a whit about her reputation, and that if she enjoyed Remus' company she'd spend her time with him, gossips be damned. "I'll pass the message along, Persephone. You need not worry."

Persephone curtseyed. "Your Highness is most caring for her ladies," she said, and hurriedly left.

I let out a little laugh, then broke the seal on the letter and began to read.

_To Lily Evans, Princess of Ravenclaw:_

_I bid you welcome to our fair kingdom of Gryffindor, Princess, and hope that this letter finds you in good health. We all of us are eager to meet you, for we have heard many rumors of your great beauty and great mind. I am sure it shall be a delight to have you here. _

_It has recently been made known to the king and I that our people have received you most graciously, and that you in turn were gracious to them. We are pleased with this, for it is surely a sign that queenship shall suit you tremendously. You are already beloved—quite rare for a foreign queen. I myself had to prove my loyalty to my husband, prove that I am a Gryffindor queen before I am Slytherin princess, before my people accepted me. _

_But I digress. I write this letter not to dwell on dark matters past, but rather on an enjoyable affair. _

_In your honor, our master of the revels, Sir William Finnegan, has organized a great feast and a grand masque. The premise Sir Finnegan thought up is of seven ladies trapped on a burning barge and seven knights to come and rescue them. As a gesture of friendship, I would like to request three of your ladies to participate in the masque. Of course, if Your Highness intends to join in the revels, neither Sir Finnegan nor I will object._

_Once again I bid you welcome to Gryffindor, and I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautiful land. _

_Sincerely,_

_Dorea Black-Potter, Queen of Gryffindor_

A masque! I loved watching them, but in honesty that was all I enjoyed about them. Taking part in such things was too much of a hassle—the practices, the commissioning of horrendously expensive gowns, the discreet fighting amongst the girls over which lady takes what part…

Ugh.

…_I am a Gryffindor queen before I am a Slytherin princess… _Oh, yes, I'd heard that Queen Dorea, originally of the Black family, was distantly related to the Thomas I, the king of Slytherin and father of Thomas Riddle II, the current king of Slytherin. I had no idea though how she came to be married to Charlus V, considering the Slytherins' abject hatred of the other nations.

At that moment, Cassandra came in without knocking, as I had permitted her to always do when we were but eleven years old, looking thoroughly furious. "Who does she think is?" she raged. "Coming up to me and telling me to keep watch on my reputation and to stop seeing so much of Remus, that the inn's other patrons are starting to talk…goodness! If I enjoy Remus' company I'll spend time my time with him, and gossips be damned!"

I nearly laughed aloud at Cassandra's words, which near echoed my thoughts of what she'd say. "The next time she talks to you then, tell her to mind her own business," I advised. "She'll never be plucky enough to go after you again once you've gotten snippy with her. All she'll do then is keep going to me and persuading me to talk to you, and once_ I_ lose my patience with her she'll never approach me again either."

Cassandra smiled slightly. "Timid little Miss Lovegood," she said.

"Indeed."

"So, why did you call for me?"

"The queen's to put on a grand masque in my honor once we arrive at Godric City," I replied. "Here…" I handed her the letter.

She quickly skimmed through it, then looked back up at me. "As far as I can tell from the letter, Her Majesty really does to wish to honor you with a grand masque. Although," she added, handing the letter back, "I feel inviting your ladies to join may not have been the wisest thing. Ingrid, Persephone, and Amelia may seem the best of friends, but that does not mean they won't squabble to get a place in the masque. And don't even mention Lady Valerie Morgan or Her Highness Princess Petunia."

"True," I replied, grimacing. "Still, I only need pick two ladies."

Cassandra looked confused. "Queen Dorea asked for three."

"Oh, silly girl, I mean you of course! You are the finest dancer the Ravenclaw court has ever seen, second perhaps only to your own mother. What better way to impress the Gryffindors than by my most graceful girl catching their eye?" I exclaimed.

Cassandra flushed, although I could see she was secretly pleased by my compliment. "You flatter me, Lily."

"No flattery. It's nothing but truth," I said firmly. "Now, the Lady Persephone is a frail thing, but very lovely and refined. She'd move like wisp in the wind. I think she should be one of the dancers, don't you?"

"She certainly fits the part of helpless damsel," Cassandra replied dryly.

"Timid little Miss Lovegood," I echoed her earlier words.

"And for the third lady…perhaps I will speak with Lady Ingrid and Lady Amelia later on. I've no idea which of them is the better dancer." There was absolutely no chance of me putting either Lady Valerie or my sister Petunia in the masque; they'd flub their steps out of utter spite for me, in order to embarrass me in front of the Gryffindor court.

Luckily enough, Amelia later on revealed to me that she could dance just as well as a stable cat could swim. ("But don't tell Helen; she'll throw a fit.") Ingrid happily took on the third slot, and Valerie and Petunia spent all of dinnertime glaring at me over the rims of their wineglasses.

-o-o-o-

The next day, we arrived at Godric City, and welcomed by King Charlus and Queen Dorea. His Majesty was a handsome man, very ruggedly so, with a scratchy beard but a powerful-looking face and hazel-gold eyes like an eagle, his hair golden-brown and gleaming in the sunlight. Her Majesty was ethereally beautiful; her long hair black as a raven's wing and her eyes a piercing blue.

"Welcome, Princess Lily, to Gryffindor," said the queen, the warmth in her voice belying her cold eyes.

"We all of us are pleased to see that, for once, the gossips were right," said the king, smiling. "You are as beautiful as they say."

"Your Majesties give me a most kind welcome," I replied, my cheeks flushing from the king's praise. "I am sure I shall feel at home quickly, with such gracious hosts."

"Sir Black, Lord Lupin, Lord Pettigrew," said King Charlus, "I commend you for bringing the princess to our doors without any harm befalling her."

All three men bowed. "Upon our honor, sire, we never would allow such a thing to happen," said Remus.

"The prince is not come to welcome Her Highness?" asked Sirius suddenly. Everybody then began looking round, only just realizing that Prince James Potter was nowhere in sight.

"Forgive my son, Princess Lily," said Queen Dorea, a frown on her face. "Although I know not his reason for being absent, I am sure it is a valid one." The annoyed frown on her face contradicted her words. "Will you and your ladies and gentlemen not enter now? You shall need to freshen up."

I curtseyed, not thinking too highly of this so-called Lion of Gryffindor for neglecting his duties to his bride. "We thank you, Your Majesty."

-o-o-o-

"You cannot come in! If you were the Prince James himself, I will not let you in, I swear it!"

Cassandra's furious screams woke me up. Startled, I tumbled out of bed and landed on my bottom on the marble floor (quite painfully, I might add). I struggled to my feet, rubbing a hand on the bruised part of my derriere, and freed my legs from the tangle of my nightgown.

"I _am_ the Prince James, you silly chit!" a distinctly male voice snapped. "And I will come in whether you desire it or no; I demand to see the Princess Lily!"

"Did you not hear me then, _Your Highness?_ You say you are Prince James, I say I will still not let you in!" Cassandra was no longer screaming, but her low-pitched hissing sounded to me even more dangerous than her yelling.

"Stand aside! I command you to stand aside!"

"I take orders from none but Lily Evans, Princess of Ravenclaw. You may be her betrothed, but do not presume to think that entitles you to everything that is hers! Your father the king himself could give me an order and I would disobey him if it conflicted with the princess's interests."

"You dare to insult my father, the man who gave you and your precious princess quarters here?!"

"I dare that and more! I am Her Highness's lady-in-waiting; my duty is to her and no one else!"

Oh no, Cassandra. Hurriedly, I pulled a pale blue satin robe over my nightgown, pausing to slip my feet into a pair of slippers and unravel my braid before rushing to the doors. I flung them open and beheld the scene before me.

Cassandra was already dressed in a gown of black damask, slashed to show an undergown of ice-blue, her hair loosely hanging about her shoulders. Standing in front of her was, quite possibly, the handsomest man she'd ever seen—handsomer than Sir Sirius Black, even. He had a chiseled face, his cheekbones and lips perfectly sculpted, his eyes the hazel-gold of the king, his hair as black as the queen's but immeasurably messy. The dark crimson long-sleeved tunic and black breeches he wore could not disguise his body, muscled enough to be manly but not overly so that it achieved a disgusting effect.

The only thing the ruined this man's impressively good looks was the scowl that marred his face.

Cassandra had a glare on her face so frightening; I was surprised this man was not fleeing for his life in the opposite direction. "Princess Lily," she said, curtseying, "this is—"

"I am James Potter, Prince of Gryffindor, son of King Charlus and Queen Dorea," the messy-haired young man interrupted.

"Under much different circumstances, Your Highness, I would have been most pleased to meet you. As it is, I must ask you why you insist on seeing me at now. Hardly anyone can be awake at this time," I replied frigidly, instantly disliking his arrogant tone.

"When a man means to see his bride-to-be, he shall see his bride-to-be," Prince James replied coldly. "I think you will find it rude—and most unwise—for a woman to deny her future husband his wishes, madam."

"It may be so, but it is also rude for a gentleman to come calling on a lady at such early hours," I retorted.

James was shocked into silence for a moment (Cassandra actually lifted her hand to her lips to stifle her laughter), but then recovered and said, "I am come to ask you, madam, if you mean to insult me, your betrothed and your prince!"

"Insult!" I gasped. What on earth was this man talking about? "How on earth could I have insulted Your Highness?" And then, outraged, I accused, "It is _you _who has insulted me, Your Highness. You insult me, your betrothed, by refusing to welcome me to your kingdom; and you insult your parents the good king and queen, for it is they who have bartered this betrothal and you spit on their gift to you, their gift of alliance with my father; and you insult your friends, my escorts, for you ignore the long and difficult journey they had to make to bring me, _your bride-to-be_, to your gates."

"That is not the matter at hand," said James shortly.

"Oh? Then please, Your Highness, I would ever so much like to know what the matter at hand here is, for I am weary and I wish to return to my bed," I said haughtily.

James glared. "I am referring to the lady of your bridal party come to my rooms last night, and offering to teach me how to do my duty to you in the marital bed! Do you think me so unmanned, madam, that you feel the need to send to me your lady and tell me how best to pleasure you?!"

My cheeks turned a bright red color, redder than my hair, mirroring the dark flush on the prince's cheeks. Cassandra too had a turned a light shade of pink, although there was an amused smile threatening to curl her lips.

"_How_ can Your Highness think that of me—?"

"The lady claimed to be sent by you, Princess," accused James.

"And you would believe a mere lady-in-waiting over me, a Princess of Ravenclaw, your bride-to-be?" I demanded. "Not all my ladies are loyal to me. You of all people should know that a courtier may sing your praises to your face but slander you once your back is turned. Has it not occurred to you, _my lord_, that the lady that went to you could have been nothing more than an envious maid wanting a prince husband for her own? And you need not worry," I added slyly. "Your Highness is many things, but unmanned, you are not."

The ambiguous insult had James stunned. "And just what do you mean by that, Princess Lily_?_" he hissed.

"Whatever you can make of it, Your Highness," I replied, smiling sweetly as I curtseyed. "I bid you a good day."

* * *

**AN:** Mmm…short chapter, but one that I rather enjoyed typing!

Ne, anyone see the scenes from the movie 'Troy' and the book 'The Constant Princess' by Philippa Gregory? Virtual cookies abound if you do!


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